1. Technical Field
Aspects of the example embodiments are directed to 3-D model creations and more specifically, 3-D model creation by stitching together multiple partial 3-D models.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, a variety of devices have emerged that can capture 3-D structures, such as laser/lidar sensors, stereo cameras, and low-cost consumer RGB-depth cameras, such as the MICROSOFT KINECT. These devices are able to capture 3-D structures in their field of view in the form of point clouds or depth maps. Such devices have greatly reduced the effort required to capture 3-D structures. However, while these devices are able to capture 3-D structures from a single viewpoint, these devices typically do not provide a method to capture 3-D from multiple viewpoints and/or locations.
Further, services utilizing 3-D models, such as GOOGLE EARTH and APPLE MAPS, are becoming increasingly popular. Uses for 3-D models can include navigation, site promotion, and virtual or mirrored reality. In order to provide such services, there needs to be a method to create a 3-D model that represents the physical environment. Traditionally, 3-D models were created manually, which was time consuming and costly. Therefore, there may be a need to automate the process of model creation.